DRAFT: Pursuit of the Puck Separates Mercer from his Peers

Snow was falling sideways in Montreal last January as prospects were gathering at Bell Centre to promote the NHL Draft that was supposed to take place there in June.
It was miserable outside. One player missed the occasion because his flight couldn't land. You'd never know it by the smile on Dawson's Mercer's face. The atmosphere, the room, and the people in it suited him fine.
"Ah, it wasn't too bad," describing his snowy trip in from Chicoutimi, in an accent that Devils fans will soon learn to love. "A little snow never hurt anyone."
Mercer was fresh off winning a gold medal at the World Juniors and had just reported to his new club, the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Everyone wanted a piece of him. And he did of them, from the assembled media, to the other prospects, to Canadiens assistant coach Dominic Ducharme, his former junior coach, who dropped in for a quick chat before the Habs game against the Arizona Coyotes that night.

It seemed like Mercer was everywhere, not unlike the way he plays. He is a puck shark with skill and hockey sense that complement his tenacity; the well-rounded play evidenced by his 60 points (24G, 26A) in 42 games last season.
If there was a metric for doggedness, Mercer's numbers would be even better.
"I feel like I'm a hard-working offensive player, that I can create in the O-zone with scoring opportunities," said Mercer. "….I just (work hard) every time I'm on the ice, whether it's a game or practice I just give it my (all) every time I'm on the ice and make sure I have no regrets."
Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald was more succinct.
"A dog on a bone," he said of Mercer.
"If he doesn't have (the puck), he'll get it," read Red Line Report's rundown on Mercer.

Mercer's puck pursuit is one thing, he also seems to know where it's going most of the time too. And when he does retrieve the puck, he has the necessary finishing skills, a fact Fitzgerald was sure to point out.
"I can see him in a bigger role (than just as an energy player)," said the GM, "we'll have to see, there is skill there."
Mercer was the Devils middle pick of the three first rounders on Tuesday, going 18th overall. Winger Alexander Holtz came first with the seventh pick and defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin later at 20.
The Washington Capitals drafted Mercer's Sags linemate Hendrix Lapierre as Mercer was in a nearby room in Chicoutimi on a call with media.
Mercer ended up in Chicoutimi after a mid-season trade from the Drummondville Voltigeurs. In between stops, Mercer was not guaranteed to make Team Canada but gave its head coach Dale Hunter little choice but to include him with a stellar final selection camp.
Though he surely would have been on their radar by then, the World Junior in the Czech Republic offered a small clue as to Mercer's versatility that also caught the Devils attention.

"It was a different (situation) for him with Canada at the Worlds and he did it (well)," remarked Fitzgerald, who later emphasized the importance of prospects being able to adapt because of the relatively small percentage of players who perform the same role in pro hockey than they did in junior/college.
Mercer had been slated somewhere in the middle of the first round but going 18th was probably slightly lower than where he was pegged to start the night. Fitzgerald said the selection was straight forward, giving off a relaxed air in both making the call and discussing it later.
"No, not at all," said Fitzgerald on whether he was getting antsy. "That's why you have the confidence in your list, in the integrity of it, it was really just getting the yellow highlighter out to see who was (still available)."
All three first rounders that New Jersey selected on Tuesday are currently active, something of a rarity of given that much of North America is shutdown. Fitzgerald said that he is comfortable that Holtz, Mercer and Mukhamadullin can remain with their clubs regardless of when NHL training camps convene amid the global pandemic.
All three of Mercer, Holtz (Sweden) and Mukhamadullin (Russia) are expected to play for their countries at the World Juniors in the Edmonton bubble over the holiday season.